Merry Christmas
by ringspells
Summary: I relize I'm posting a Christmas fic in June, but I wrote it for last Christmas and only now opened an account in ff.net. -- Summary: A different way of celebrating Christmas. For the Luthors and the Kents, at least.


Title: Merry Christmas  
  
Author: MeLi  
  
Author's e-mail: remmirath@fibertel.com.ar   
  
Author's webpage: http://meli-clex.tripod.com/  
  
Disclaimer: None of these characters are owned by me. I make no money off this.   
  
Spoilers: Vortex, Nocturne  
  
Category: Established Relationship   
  
Rating: G  
  
Pairing: Clark/Lex – This means male/male relationship. Don't like, don't read.  
  
Summary: A different way of celebrating Christmas. For the Luthors and the Kents, at least.  
  
Beta: Paauliytah was kind enough to do it. I love you, Paau! Thank you so, so much for everything!  
  
Author's notes: Part of the Slash Advent Calendar situated at: http://www.kardasi.com/Advent  
  
Author's notes II: I know characterization is off, but this is how I wanted them to behave in this fic – I'll deal with how they got here in some other fic, and in yet another with where they go from here. Maybe.  
  
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MERRY CHRISTMAS  
  
by MeLi  
  
December, 2002  
  
"We won't be hosting a Christmas party this year, son," Lionel said when he heard Lex enter the office.  
  
"Okay," Lex said. He was happy that, for once, he wouldn't have to spend Christmas in the coat room, so he didn't question what led his father to making that decision. His decisions were usually arbitrary, anyway; so Lex guessed this wouldn't be an exception.  
  
"We'll be spending Christmas Eve with the Kents," Lionel added as though it was the most normal thing in the world. Now *that* was a surprise. A pleasant surprise, but a surprise none the less. Actually, it was the most surprising thing he'd been told since Clark came out to him, and almost as delightful. Almost. Anyway, back to the present; Lex would never have expected his father to call off his annual Christmas party – which translated to business meeting in his mental Lionel-English dictionary – in favor of a family-like reunion. Martha really had him wrapped around her finger, Lex thought. Too bad for Lionel that she'd never betray Jonathan. Lex was grateful for that; the Kents were the closest thing he had to a family, and he didn't want Lionel to screw that up. The good thing, for Lex at least, was that Lionel was starting to get in touch with his emotions. Maybe it was a good thing he'd given Martha that job, after all.   
  
"Okay," he said, not wanting to give away the bliss he felt at the prospect of spending Christmas Eve with Clark.  
  
"Come on, son. I know you're excited about spending the night with your boyfriend, no need to try and hide it."   
  
Okay, so maybe now that he was blind Lionel was getting better at reading Lex. Or not quite reading, but perceiving his feelings. It probably had to do with the fact that Lionel no longer thought emotions were a weakness.   
  
"You're right, I am. And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go buy some presents." He wanted to get Martha something real nice for doing this.   
  
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"We're spending Christmas Eve at Luthor Manor," Martha announced at dinner, getting opposite reactions from her son and husband.   
  
Jonathan's "What?!" was spoken simultaneously with Clark's "Great!"  
  
Jonathan's response made a sigh escape Martha's lips. "You know, it took a lot of effort to get Lionel to agree," Jonathan fumed at his wife's mention of the elder Luthor.  
  
"I'm not spending any holiday with Lionel Luthor!" Jonathan bellowed, but that didn't prevent her from continuing. "He's finally changing. And a family reunion is exactly what Lex needs," she tried to convince her husband that this was a good idea.   
  
"Mom's right, dad. You've seen how good your acceptance has been for Lex. This will make him really happy," Clark supported his mother's point.  
  
"I know," Jonathan sighed. "And if it was only Lex we were talking about, I'd have no problem." Jonathan then turned to Martha. "But you know how hard it's been for me to accept the fact that you're working for Lionel. It's been even harder to put up with the idea of you two becoming closer than mere acquaintances," he didn't want to say they were becoming friends. "And now you want to spend Christmas with him? It's too much, Martha. You should have asked Lex to join us and left Lionel out." Funny how a couple of years before he'd have wanted to leave both of them out, Clark thought. But he didn't comment on it, of course.  
  
"I could have, but Lex needs to know his father cares about him." Martha frowned at the snort that produced from Jonathan. "We may be giving Lex the sense of family he craves, but he needs to receive it from his father, too. And this is the only way I managed to get Lionel to spend some time with his son as a father. He's always treating Lex as though he was a business associate – if even that - and nothing more, and I want that to stop."  
  
Jonathan understood what his wife wanted, but he still didn't want to spend Christmas Eve with Lionel Luthor. He had welcomed Lex into his family because his son loved him and he had proven he was nothing like his father. Was he supposed to embrace the man he hated as well?  
  
"Dad, think about it. You were wrong when you thought Lex was anything like the image of Lionel you had. Don't you think there's a chance Lionel's not how you think he is? Or at least not anymore." Clark had gotten to know Lionel after the man lost his sight and decided to stay in Smallville, and he saw him change since then. Especially after his mother started working for him. It seemed that, just like he was good for Lex, Martha was a good influence on Lionel – even though their relationships were nothing alike, thank God. He didn't want to imagine his mother cheating on his dad with his boyfriend's dad. How messed up was that?   
  
"Can't you just give him a chance? Perhaps all he needs is a friend." Clark turned his pout full-force on his dad. Who sighed. Again.  
  
"Okay. I'm not saying I'll go and make friends with Lionel Luthor, but I'll go to the Manor on Christmas Eve." Clark glowed at that. He got to spend what he considered the most important holiday of the year with his boyfriend and his family. What more could he possibly want?  
  
+ * ..· º ~ º · .. * +  
  
"Lex, I can't believe this," Clark said, his eyes full of tears. It was 12 am on Christmas day, and Clark, Lex, the Kents and Lionel were at Luthor Manor, exchanging gifts. Lex had just given Clark his present and looked nervous as he awaited his lover's reaction. After over two years of being together, he still thought Clark would someday realize he deserved better than Lex and proceed to leave him. That was the last thing he wanted. And his insecurities made their way to the surface as Clark opened the box that held two identical gold rings.  
  
"I love you," Clark said, kissing Lex deeply. They forgot they were surrounded by their parents until they heard Lionel growl his discomfort regarding displays of affection in his presence. At least he no longer swatted them when they did it.   
  
"There are seventy-five rooms in this castle. Can't you wait a few minutes and go get one?" he said dryly, not really minding the displays any more; now he was actually happy that his son had found someone to love who loved him back. Martha reminded him of his wife and seeing her with Jonathan made him reminisce of how much Lillian had meant to him, and still did. He wanted Lex to have the kind of happiness he'd had when he was with his wife and he also wanted to reestablish the bond he'd once shared with his son. He was glad Martha was helping him.   
  
When they broke the kiss, Lex started talking. "I've bought these a long time ago, ever since I discovered my love for you will last forever. I wanted to give them to you before now, but I thought it would be more sensible to wait till you were eighteen. Then you did turn eighteen, but I couldn't work up the courage. Until today." At this, Lex knelt down on one knee before Clark. The Kents and Lionel hadn't seen what was in the box, and it was now that they understood what Lex was talking about. Even if Martha was, the older men weren't expecting this, and they gasped in surprise. For once, Jonathan and Lionel shared a reaction with the same feelings behind it. It was the first time they agreed on something: this was the best present Lex could have given to Clark, for both of the boys.   
  
Taking a shaky breath, Lex continued. "Clark, will you marry me?" He stared up at the most beautiful man he'd ever seen, watching the tears fall from green eyes and run down high cheeks as he waited for an answer.  
  
"Yes," was all Clark could manage to say, his voice trembling. He dropped to his knees to face his lover and kissed him again, Lex's doubts finally leaving him for good.   
  
"Merry Christmas, Clark," Lex said.  
  
It was indeed a Merry Christmas.   
  
End  
  
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End file.
